historical timeline division of driver licenses

Historical timeline Division of Driver licenses

1939 The Department of Public Safety was established. The director was named by, and reported to, the Governor and the Chairman of the State Road Department. The department was housed in a one-room office in the Martin Building (site of the present Tallahassee City Hall).

1939 First Florida driver licensing law enacted. The law required everyone to obtain a driver license if they intended to drive, but no examination was required. Licenses were issued by the county judges. The license fee was 50 cents per year. A "Head of the household" could make a multiple application and obtain a driver license for each member of his family. The Division of State Motor Vehicles Drivers' Licenses was a part of the Motor Vehicle Commission. The Division Supervisor was W. B. Lindsay. The salary for the position ranged from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $300 per month.

1941 The Department of Public Safety was placed under the control of the Governor and Cabinet. Jess J. Gilliam was Director of the Department and Commander of the Division of Florida Highway Patrol. The salary for the position ranged from a minimum of $333 to a maximum of $400 per month.

1941 The Division of State Motor Vehicles Drivers' Licenses was transferred from the Motor Vehicle Commission to the Department of Public Safety. Tom King was designated as Auditor and Cashier of the Division at a salary of $160 per month.

1941 Driver license examinations were required for original licenses. Thirty Florida Highway Patrolmen, including C.W. Keith, were given 2 weeks of intensive training in driver licensing and were assigned to administer the examinations in addition to their regular patrol duties. The license fee was increased to fifty cents per year for drivers under 18, $1.00 for Operators over 18, and $1.50 for Chauffeurs. The County Judge retained fifteen cents per license for the first 10,000

issued, ten cents for the second 10,000 and five cents for each additional license issued. All fees, except the judges' fees, were deposited in the State Drivers License fund, earmarked for operation of the Department of Public Safety.

1942 Tom King was named Supervisor of the Division of State Motor Vehicle Drivers' Licenses.

1945 C. W. Keith was appointed coordinator of the driver license program.

1946 The first comprehensive driver license examination program was developed.

1946 The first Florida Examiner's Manual was published.

1946 The need was established for a professional staff of civilian examiners whose sole duty would be conducting driver license examinations. Cecil G. Kemp was appointed as the first full-time civilian driver license examiner at a salary of $100 per month. The examiner uniform was the same as the highway patrol uniform, except for a patch with the word "Examiner" sewn at the bottom of the shoulder patch. Examiner uniforms and vehicles consisted of surplus used items from the highway patrol.

1946 C. W. Keith was designated as Chief Examiner for the State.

1947 Florida became the first state in the nation to develop and implement the "One License" concept. This concept, which basically holds that a driver needs only a license from his home state and that all other licenses should be surrendered, has since been made a part of the Driver License Compact used by the various states.

1948 Florida won the award for outstanding achievement in the national traffic safety contest sponsored by the National Safety Council. Florida also won this award in 1949, 1952, 1954, 1960, and 1961 before the program was discontinued.

1950 The salary for a beginning examiner was $150 per month. An increase of $15 per month was permitted in each of the first 5 years of service. No further raises were granted until the examiner achieved 10 years of service, when a $25 per month longevity raise was granted. No additional increases were granted until 15 years of service were completed. At that time, a longevity raise of $50 per month was granted. No further salary increases were possible unless across the board raises were granted.

1950 Florida developed the first classified driver license program whereby a driver passed the road test in the type vehicle he intended to drive. Six types of licenses were issued:

• Temporary Restricted License issued to persons 14 years of age and older to learn to drive.

• Restricted Operator License issued to persons between 14 and 16 who passed the road test at the time of issuance. This license automatically became an Operator license at age 16.

• Operator License issued to persons 16 years of age and older who passed the complete examination.

• Chauffeur License issued to persons 18 years of age and older who passed the road test in a single unit vehicle. This license did not permit operation of buses or taxicabs.

• Special Chauffeur License issued to persons 18 years of age and older who presented a notarized statement from their employer that they had been hired to drive a taxicab or a bus together with a notarized character reference from three reputable citizens and who passed the road test in the type vehicle they were hired to drive. Bus drivers were restricted to the seat capacity of the bus in which they took the road test. Seat capacity was based on 13 inches of rump room per seat.

• Unlimited Special Chauffeur License requirements were the same as for a Special Chauffeur except that the road test had to be taken in a semi-truck/tractor and trailer. This license permitted the operation of all types of vehicles.

1955 The first school for Driver License Examiners was conducted in Tallahassee. The 41 examiners who attended had conducted 250,000 examinations in 1954.

1955 Examiners were used on a part-time basis to serve revocation and suspension orders and conduct investigations since the department felt too much patrol time was being lost by the patrolmen who performed this function.

1955 The Florida Financial Responsibility Law was enacted to provide for driver license suspension for uninsured drivers who were involved in motor vehicle accidents. Between 1947 and 1955, the Financial Responsibility Law affected only tags and registration.

1955 Proof of date of birth required for initial licenses.

1955 Mrs. Carolyn F. Martin was designated Assistant Supervisor of the Division of Driver Licenses.

1957 Eight FHP troopers were designated Special Service Officers and assigned duties as Driver License Supervisors to oversee the work of the examiners.

1957 The classified driver license program was discontinued due to problems experienced by the public in obtaining heavy vehicles and getting them to and from the test sites plus the difficulties experienced in administering road tests in such vehicles in congested areas.

1957 The position of Revocation and Suspension Officer was established as a full-time position to serve orders and conduct investigations.

1958 Employees were authorized to cut off the sleeves of the summer uniform shirts in order to have short sleeved shirts instead of the former long sleeved, double-button cuffed, summer uniform shirts.

1958 The department moved its headquarters from the Martin Building to the newly constructed Neil Kirkman Building. This four-story building was constructed at a total cost of half a million dollars.

1958 The Drivers License Division had 115 examiners and 8 driver license supervisors to handle almost 500,000 applicants per year. There were 3.5 million drivers in the State.

1958 FHP troopers were fazed out of examining, serving orders, and conducting investigations.

1959 The responsibility for conducting administrative hearings for reinstatement of revoked or suspended driver licenses was transferred from the Parole Commission to the Drivers License Division. Prior to the transfer, a person who desired early reinstatement of a revoked license had to apply to the Parole Commission in Tallahassee. If approved, the licensee was placed on formal parole, with the Examiner as his parole officer. Violation of any of the terms of the parole, such as violating restrictions, failure to report to the Examiner as parole officer, etc., were grounds for revocation of the license.

1959 The position of Hearing Officer was established as a full-time position to conduct administrative hearings.

1959 The first new examiners' cars were purchased.

1961 Florida' began collecting a $1.00 examination fee. The fee for a reinstatement was $5.00.

1962 The examiners' work schedules were changed from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday with one hour for lunch to 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday with thirty minutes for lunch.

1963 Upon the death of Tom King, the driver license law was changed to provide for a Division Director who must be a member of the uniform division of the Florida Highway Patrol and whose pay and allowance must be equivalent to that of a major. C. W. Keith was promoted to the rank of major and named the first Director of the Drivers License Division.

1964 Comer Boswell was employed as the first black driver license examiner in Florida.

1964 Examiners were issued tan, non-FHP uniforms.

1965 The first air conditioned examiners' cars were purchased.

1967 The examination fee was increased to $3.00 for a regular examination and $15.00 for a reinstatement.

1967 Minimum age for a Restricted Operator License was raised to 15.

1967 The first 2 year driver licenses were issued.

1967 The Implied Consent law was enacted to provide for license suspension if a driver who had been placed under arrest for DWI refused to submit to a chemical test for intoxication.

1967 Florida became a part of the Driver License Compact.

1968 The Division began conversion of the manual driver files to computerized files. As a part of the conversion, all driver license numbers were converted from a simple audit number to a 15 digit alpha-numeric driver control number based upon name, date of birth, and sex.

1969 Governmental reorganization merged the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles to create the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles with H. N.

Kirkman as Executive Director. This established three operating divisions in the department: Division of Driver Licenses, with C. W. Keith as Director, Division of Highway Patrol, with Reid Clifton as Director, and Division of Motor Vehicles, with Arch Livingston as Director. A Division of Administrative Services, with Audry Carter as Director, was later created to support the three operating divisions.

1969 Verline Burkett was hired as the first Clerk Examiner at a salary of $381 per month to assist in conducting inside examinations.

1970 The Division of Driver Licenses consisted of two bureaus; the Bureau of Records, headed by Carolyn F. Martin, and the Bureau of Examining and Driver Improvement, headed by Captain Tom Joyce. Lieutenant Don Keirn was the Administrator of the Driver Improvement Section and Lieutenant Glenn Blocker was the Administrator of the Examining Section. In addition to its clerical staff, the Driver Improvement section consisted of the Administrator and one Driver Improvement Analyst. The Examining Section had a total of 156 examiners in 86 field offices.

1970 The state was administratively divided into 4 driver license regions. Lieutenant C. B. Highsmith and Sergeants James Chancy, Roland Hudson, and C. J. Hutches retired from the Highway Patrol and became the first Driver License Regional Supervisors with the rank of DL Lieutenant.

1970 Senior Examiners J. R. Collier, Jr., J. W. McInnis, P. Z. Pickens and R. A. Weaver became the first civilian driver license District Supervisors with the rank of DL Sergeant.

1970 Driver License issuance was transferred from the county judges to the Division of Driver Licenses. Under Central Issuance, temporary driving permits were issued in the field offices and all driver licenses were issued by computer from Tallahassee and mailed to the licensees. All driver license applications had to be typed. This placed a typing proficiency requirement on the examiners.

1970 107 additional Clerk-Examiners were employed to handle the typing requirements and conduct inside examinations.

1970 Selected field offices experimented with evening operating hours. The offices were open until 9 p.m. two nights a week. The experiment was discontinued due to a lack of customers.

1970 The Department began using United Parcel Service instead of U.S. mail.

1970 Applicants under the age of 18 were required to complete a driver education course in order to get a driver license.

1971 The tan, military-style uniform was replaced with blue, blazer-type uniforms for examiners.

1971 Reexamination was required for license renewal every four years. Two-year renewals were handled by mail in the year when reexamination was not required.

1971 License expiration was based on the first letter of the last name and even/odd year of birth.

1971 Driver license rank (Lieutenant and Sergeant) was abolished.

1971 Major C. W. Keith retired from the Florida Highway Patrol and became the first civilian director of the Division of Driver Licenses.

1972 Three Clerk Typist III's (Clerk-Examiners) were upgraded to Examiner I.

1972 The first computer terminals were installed in headquarters for on-line record inquiries.

1972 The Uniform Traffic Ticket program was implemented. All enforcement agencies were required by law to utilize the uniform traffic ticket which was prepared and distributed at no cost to the agencies by the State.

1972 The Habitual Offender Law was enacted in an effort to identify problem drivers and remove them from the highways.

1973 The examiner's work schedules were changed to 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. in an effort to make office schedules more convenient for the public. The schedule reverted to 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. after a trial period of 6 months due to lack of public response between 5 and 6 p.m.

1973 Alan Cochrane was named Assistant Director of the Division of Driver Licenses. The Bureau of Examining and Driver Improvement was divided into the Bureau of Driver Improvement, headed by Don Keirn, and the Bureau of Field Operations, headed by Richard Weaver. J. W. McInnis was named Coordinator of the Color Photographic License Program.

1973 Original applicants were given the option of purchasing either a 2 or 4 year driver license. Renewals with reexamination were for 4 years. Renewals without reexamination were for 2 years.

1973 Computer terminals were installed in all field driver license offices for on-line inquiry into the driver records. Driver records were provided to local courts and enforcement agencies.

1973 Central Issuance ended.

1973 Color photographic driver licenses were issued in the field offices beginning December 3rd. Florida was the first state in the nation to issue instant licenses with a negative film file. This permitted Florida to issue the licenses while the applicants were in the field offices and still maintain central control.

1974 The Governor's Management Efficiency Study Commission reported that the Bureau of Field Operations was overstaffed and recommended deletion of 100 examiner positions. This was accomplished by deleting 65 positions between 1975 and 1977 and reducing subsequent budget requests for additional staff.

1974 Color photographic ID cards were issued in the field offices to non-drivers over 18 years of age.

1974 The even/odd year expiration system ended.

1975 Organ donor cards to be carried with driver licenses were issued in the field offices. (FS 765.521)

1975 Court-ordered temporary driving permits were issued on the first DWI conviction if the department's records showed the offender was otherwise eligible for license issuance. This permitted the offender to

continue driving until the date of his administrative hearing.

1975 The reinstatement examination fee following a revocation was increased to $35.00.

1975 Most traffic offenses were decriminalized and designated as infractions.

1975 Failure to pay a fine for a traffic infraction resulted in suspension of the offender's driver license.

1975 The Medical Advisory Board was formally established by statute to replace the informal Medical Advisory Committee.

1975 The statutes were amended to eliminate the requirement that applicants under the age of 18 complete a driver education course in order to obtain a driver license.

1976 Study of Examiner Workload System (DDL and Office of Safety Information Research Services).

1976 The optional 2 year license was eliminated. All driver licenses were issued for 4 years.

1976 All licenses expired at midnight on the licensee's birthday instead of the last day of the birth month.

1976 Replacement licenses for a fee of $1.00 were issued to make changes in name, address, or restrictions if the licensee surrendered a valid Florida license. This eliminated the need to issue a $2.50 duplicate license in these cases.

1976 The Bureau of Financial Responsibility, headed by Ralph Cobb, was transferred to the Division of Driver Licenses from the Department of Insurance. This transfer added 78 Field Insurance Representatives (FR Specialists) to the Bureau of Field Operations staff.

1977 The first phase of on-line update of computer records was implemented with the CDR entry which enabled the examiner to clear all revocations, suspensions and cancellations on the driver record.

1977 The minimum age for an ID card was reduced to 15.

1977 Procedures for parental consent for licensing of minors were changed to require only 1 signature instead of 2.

1977 No parental consent required for licensing of married minors.

1977 The Financial Responsibility reinstatement fee was increased to $15.00.

1977 J. M. Watkins was designated as the first DL Specialist.

1977 Driver Improvement Schools were required for reinstatement of revoked or suspended licenses.

1977 The experimental 4 day, 40 hour workweek began in selected driver license offices. Experimental schedules included 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The experiment was

initially intended to run for 9 months, but it was extended since more information was felt to be needed.

1978 Florida joined the Non-Resident Violator's Compact to permit issuance of traffic citations to out-of-state licensees instead of formal arrests for most violations and to permit license suspension upon notice of failure to comply with the terms of the citation.

1978 Driver licenses required for moped operation.

1978 Statutes were amended to permit the Division Director to authorize driver license employees to issue Uniform Traffic Tickets for driver license violations.

1978 Proof of financial responsibility required for reinstatement following certain revocations and suspensions.

1978 Statutes were amended to provide for forgiveness of 3 points upon reinstatement after the first point suspension.

1978 The minimum age for an ID card was reduced to 12.

1979 Study -- Driver Improvement Workload (Management and Planning Services).

1979 Study -- Applicant Processing Time (DHSMV Task Force).

1979 The Uniform Traffic Citation program was upgraded to section level. K. D. Corbin was retitled as Administrator of the Uniform Traffic Citation Section.

1979 C. N. Cascadden was designated as the first Regional Traffic Citation Coordinator.

1979 The Department began scheduling some administrative hearings for license reinstatement in the field offices.

1979 In an effort to reduce long lines at the field offices, the examination requirements for licensees from other states, United States territories, and the Canadian provinces were reduced to tests of vision and road signs only.

1979 Addition of the CDT entry permitted selective clearance of individual revocations or suspensions from local terminals.

1980 Driver Licenses began changeover from TC-500 computer terminals to new 20/20 terminals with separate processors, videos, and printers.

1980 Addition of the CFN and CRT entries permitted employees to stop issuance of suspensions which had been cleared prior to the effective date and to make on-line restriction changes in the driver records.

1980 Five road test failures resulted in suspension of the privilege to apply for a license.

1980 Statutes were amended to require a $25.00 service fee for reinstatement following suspension for failure to comply with court requirements. No examination required.

1980 Field Offices began daily reporting of bank deposits by computer

terminal message to the revenue section in Tallahassee.

1980 The influx of Cuban and Haitian refugees added almost a quarter of a million to the population of the state.

1980 Study -- Dade County Workload (Office of the Governor)

1980 An emergency proclamation by the Governor established one driver license office (Miami Central) for processing of refugee applicants for driver licenses.

1980 Began postdating suspensions for failure to comply with court requirements.

1980 All field driver license employees were placed on the 4 day, 40 hour workweek. The basic workweek was from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. This soon eliminated almost all the public complaints about inconvenient hours for service.

1980 Study -- Evaluation of Florida's Reexamination Program (Applied Science Associates).

1981 Study -- Applicant Waiting Time (OHSMV Task Force).

1981 Study -- Automated Testing (MGT of America).

1981 Statutes were amended to provide for Safe Driver renewals for licensees who had maintained conviction-free records for the 3 years immediately preceding renewal. The examination for renewal consisted of a vision test only. Drivers who did not qualify for a Safe Driver renewal continued to take the vision test and the road signs test.

1981 The Department began issuance of Valid in Florida Only licenses to persons who retained out-of-state licenses due to their part time residence or employment in the other state.

1981 The Department began requiring letters of clearance from other states prior to issuance of a Florida license if the applicant did not present a valid out-of-state license. This was discontinued due to the number of states who refused to cooperate.

1982 Study -- Field Office Needs (Management and Planning).

1982 Study -- Rapid Retrieval of Photos from DL Negative Film File (Management and Planning).

1982 Study -- Uniform Traffic Citation Program (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators).

1982 Study -- Need for Parallel Parking on Road Tests (Management and Planning).

1982 Study -- Overview of the Financial Responsibility Program (House Transportation Committee).

1982 Study -- License Extensions (Management and Planning).

1982 Study -- Management Assessment (Interagency Task Force).

1982 Study -- Survey of Field Problems (Management and Planning).

1982 Implemented a new DWI law with more severe penalties.

1982 Initiated a pilot program of providing appointments on an optional basis for driver license renewals in Orange County. The pilot program was later expanded to include Alachua, Broward, and Dade Counties.

1982 Statutes were amended to provide that Restricted Operator licenses could not be renewed.

1982 Statutes were amended to provide that failure to surrender a revoked or suspended license would extend the revocation or suspension for a period of time equal to the original revocation or suspension from the date the license was actually surrendered or a "lost license" affidavit was signed. If the unsurrendered license expired, the license could not be renewed for a period equal to the time of the revocation or suspension.

1983 Study -- Need for Accountability of Renewal Notice Forms (Management and Planning).

1983 Study -- Uniform Traffic Citations Program (Management and Planning).

1983 Study -- Legislative Oversight (House Governmental Operations Committee).

1983 Initiated a pilot program of providing appointments on an optional basis for all types of driver licensing services in Duval County.

1983 Began giving road tests in inclement weather at the option of the applicant.

1983 Organ donor information was included on the driver license.

1983 DL Supervisors required to check-ride examiners on road tests at least once per quarter.

1983 Began the first phase of the motorcycle license program. During the first year, persons holding valid Florida driver licenses could obtain authorization to operate motorcycles without examination.

1983 Implemented a statewide optional appointment system for all types of driver license services.

1983 Express renewal offices were made full-service facilities.

1983 Began the fraud detection program.

1983 A minimum of two forms of ID required for DL applicants.

1983 J. W. McInnis was appointed as the first Program Planning Coordinator for the Division of Driver Licenses.

1983 In FY1982-83, Florida had a population of 10,510,560 and 8,598,019 licensed drivers. 549 examiners processed a total of 3,732,719 applicants.

1984 In July, Leonard R. Mellon was appointed Executive Director of the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles

1984 Study -- Uniform Traffic Citation Work load (Management and Planning).

1984 Study -- Micrographics Consolidation (Management and Planning).

1984 Study – Management Analysis of the Bureau of Financial Responsibility (Management and Planning).

1984 Study -- Driver License Issuance System (Applied Science Associates).

1984 Study -- Driver License Applicant Processing System (DHSMV Task Force).

1984 Study -- Driver License Applicant Processing System (Private Sector Task Force).

1984 Motorcycle endorsement fee waived for 100% disabled veterans who present proper documentation of disability.

1984 Statutes amended to permit licensees to operate motorcycle without motorcycle endorsement until expiration of current license if the license was issued prior to October 1, 1984.

1984 Statutes amended to designate fraudulent application for a driver

license or ID card as a felony.

1984 Failure to comply with court requirements for a criminal traffic offense resulted in suspension of the offender's driver license.

1984 Statutes amended to permit sending license revocation and suspension orders by first class mail instead of certified.

1984 Field driver license offices experienced long lines and excessive applicant waiting times. Cases of applicants waiting up to 8-1/2 hours were documented. Waits of 5 hours or more were common in many areas.

1984 Four Dade County offices were designated as express offices to process renewals, duplicates, and replacements.

1984 Employees were assigned to the exclusive duty of working the walk-in lines of applicants without appointments.

1984 Routine personal service of license revocation/suspension orders discontinued and the Investigators were temporarily assigned to conduct examinations one day each week.

1984 Road tests for reinstatement applicants were eliminated except in cases of questionable ability.

1984 Hearing Officers were instructed to handle financial responsibility cases and otherwise assist in the examining offices when no hearings were scheduled or if scheduled hearing applicants failed to appear.

1984 The appointment system was modified to provide appointments for renewals, duplicates, and replacements only.

1984 The practice of filling out organ donor registration cards for potential

organ donors was discontinued. Completion of the registration cards became an applicant responsibility.

1984 Supervisory responsibility for scheduling and monitoring employee work breaks was emphasized.

1984 Reports and other administrative responsibilities were reduced or eliminated wherever possible.

1984 Increased reliance upon driver license records for applicant identification to avoid, if possible, requiring an applicant to leave the office and return with additional documents of identification.

1984 Employees were encouraged to submit suggestions for saving time or improving operations direct to the Division Planning Coordinator without the necessity of going through the supervisory chain of command.

1984 Temporary overtime was authorized in a few offices with critical work load problems.

1984 Designated 2 Broward County offices as express facilities to process renewals, duplicates, and replacements.

1984 Preliminary work was begun on utilization of high school driver education instructors to administer driver license examinations.

1984 Utilized volunteers from the FHP Auxiliary to assist in the examining offices.

1984 The 6 express offices in Dade and Broward Counties were placed on a schedule of 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

1984 Began administering complete examinations to persons who applied for authorization to operate motorcycles.

1984 The 6 express offices in Dade and Broward Counties were placed on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule.

1984 34 full-service offices in 15 counties were placed on a schedule of 7 a.m. until 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. The employees continued to work a 4 day, 40 hour workweek, but the offices operated 5 days, 55 hours per week. This was done with no increase in staff to increase convenience for the public.

1984 The Uniform Traffic Ticket section was upgraded to bureau status as the Bureau of Uniform Traffic Citations, headed by Mable P. Williams.

1984 In FY 1983-84, Florida had a population of 10,741,370 and 8,987,493 licensed drivers. 557 examiners processed a total of 4,195,540 applicants.

1985 Study -- Performance Audi t (Auditor General).

1985 Study -- Update of the Examiner Workload System (MGT of America).

1985 Began requiring the complete examination, including a road test, for applicants who hold out-of-state licenses. In the first year of the program 465,439 out-of-state applicants were processed. 76% passed and 24% failed.

1985 78 additional examiners were hired to bring 28 of the 5 day offices back up to the staffing level they had prior to expanding the schedule from 4 to 5 days per week. The remaining 5 day offices reverted to a 4 days per week schedule until additional examiners can be obtained.

1985 Began issuing 6 year licenses to originals and Safe Driver renewals that elect to renew in a driver license office. In the first 7 months, 812,845 or 66% of the licenses issued were 6 year licenses and 416,574 or 34% were 4 year licenses. These totals exclude duplicates and replacements.

1985 The examination fee was eliminated. License fees were set at $15.00, regardless of type or term of the license. The fees were collected at the time of license issuance.

1985 Began providing an optional 4 year license extension by mail without examination for Safe Drivers. In the first 3 months of the program, 394,503 Safe Driver renewal notices were mailed and 92,915 (24%) elected to obtain the license extension.

1985 All of the field supervisors and most of the headquarters supervisors received 40 hours of training in management and effective leadership concepts and techniques.

1985 2 Express Renewal facilities for renewal applicants with their renewal cards were opened in Eckerd drug stores in Pinellas County. The Eckerd Corporation provided the office space at no cost to the State. The offices are open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. The 2 offices are staffed by 3 examiners. 5,240 people renewed in the Eckerd facilities in the first 4 months (September through December) for a combined average of 55 per day.

1985 43 public school districts participate in the Driver Education Licensing Assistance Program (DELAP) whereby certified driver education instructors certify the qualifications of their students for license issuance.

1985 A Senior Management Assistance and Relief Team (SMART), was established. The team, which is made up senior managers in the Division of Driver Licenses, works one full day per month in one of the 5 bureaus in the division, performing front-line work such as road testing, coding, screening, working error listings, etc., to gain first-hand knowledge of the overall division operations. Each member of the team submits findings and recommendations for improvement to the Division Director.

1985 Renewal offices in Dade and Broward Counties were authorized to process all driver license transactions except road tests in an effort to increase the applicant volume, especially on Saturdays.

1985 Implemented a program to recruit volunteer workers to assist in the driver license offices. Volunteers are authorized to perform all duties in the office except actual examining functions.

1985 Leonard L. Melton was appointed as the first Management Review Specialist in the Division of Driver Licenses.

1985 In FY1984-85, Florida had a population of 11,152,400 and 9,630,975 licensed drivers. 676 examiners processed a total of 4,616,517 applicants.

1986 Study ... Applicant Waiting Time (Auditor General).

1986 Began pilot program of centralized appointment scheduling in Duval County.

1986 Mandatory seat belt law enacted. Florida became the 26th state to enact such legislation.

1986 Florida received the Nationa1 Council award for its driver

improvement programs. The award, which was presented by Chuck Gilchrist of the National Safety Council, was accepted by the Governor and Cabinet for the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

1986 The Executive Director approved reorganization of the field structure to administratively divide the state into 17 new regions instead of the previous 13 districts and 4 regions. The former District Supervisors were upgraded to Regional Administrator and the former District Clerk Typists were upgraded to Secretary Specialist. Regional Administrators were assigned full field responsibility for their regions, reporting direct to an Assistant Chief in Tallahassee. A Driver License Specialist was approved for each of the new regions to serve as local subject matter expert, handle new employee and refresher training, and to perform many of the administrative functions which keep a supervisor from supervising.

1986 Florida's program of establishing express renewal offices in private business establishments was recognized as one of the 25 most innovative programs in the nation by the Harvard Business School and the Ford Foundation.

1986 The Executive Director approved reorganization of the Bureau of Driver Improvement. All field driver improvement functions were transferred to the Bureau of Driver Improvement from the Bureau of Field Operations. The state was administratively divided into four regions and Charlotte Spivey, Jan Ross, Richard Hatcher, and Vincent Panzica were named the first Driver Improvement Regional Administrators to oversee a field staff of 113 employees in 23 offices.

1986 Deborah S. Berlinger was named the first Training Manager for the Division of Driver Licenses with division-wide responsibility for employee training.

1986 An early warning system was developed to spot early growth trends in Florida. This system, known as the "Growth Alert Index", combines the number of out-of-state driver license applicants with the number of out-of-state motor vehicle registration transfers in each county. The merged figures provide an indicator of growth patterns and is believed to be the fastest statistical tool available for this purpose.

1986 In FY 1985-86, Florida had a population of 11,465,000 and 9,924,110 licensed drivers. 787 examiners processed a total of 4,672,758 applicants.

1987 James H. Cox appointed Director, Division of Driver Licenses

1988 May 4, 1988 the first FLOWmobile, V01, was delivered to Tallahassee

1988 Began requiring proof of PIP insurance before a vehicle could be used on a road test.

1988 Refee for PIP suspensions increased from $15.00 to $150.00,

$250.00 or $500.00.

1988 On October 27, 1988, we discontinued our policy of selling driver handbooks. After that date, they were provided free of charge to any request, conditioned only on supply availability.

1988 A Social Security Number was required for the issuance of an identification card.

1989 All Florida driving records we changed to contain a 13 digit driver license number, rescinding the display of 15 digit license numbers that previously used.

1989 We began using nine digit case numbers for all Financial Responsibility cases. The first number indicated the type of FR case involved:

• 1 – Accident Case

• 2 – PIP Accident

• 3 – Judgment Liability Case

• 4 – Conviction Liability Case

• 5 – Point Suspension Liability Case

• 6 – HTO Liability Case

• 7 – PIP Cancellation

1989 Began using I-688 and I-689 immigrations forms as acceptable identification.

1989 The department began charging a $105.00 administrative fee for each incident leading to an alcohol related suspension or revocation. $25.00 was charges for each (non-D6) suspension listed on record, and $50.00 for each revocation listed on a driver record.

1989 By presentation of a marriage certificate only, both men and women may change their names to any combination of names, hyphenated or non-hyphenated shown on the marriage certificate.

1989 Drivers of commercial motor vehicles in Florida could not possess more than one driver license. This eliminated CDL drivers from having Valid in Florida Only licenses.

1989 Examiners were allowed to have one pair of their uniform pants cut off, and hemmed, without cuff, to a length not more than one inch above the knee as an approved uniform option. These had to be worn with black over the calf or knee high socks.

1989 PIP law was amended to require that all new or renewed policies had to include property damage liability as well as personal injury protection.

1989 Anyone under 18 years of age applying for a license was required to show proof of enrollment in school. Sanctions were issued if students failed to meet school attendance requirements.

1989 Commercial Driver License Manuals were issued to all examining personnel

1990 Any person applying for a Florida license who could not prove that they were licensed in any other state or jurisdiction are required to

complete a substance abuse education course to be eligible for a Florida license.

1990 New Optec 1000 Eye Machines were distributed to all field offices.

1990 Written testing began for the issuance of Commercial Driver Licenses

1990 Straight in parking replace parallel parking on the driving skills tests

1990 Credit Card acceptance was piloted in driver license offices and it was initially planned to be implemented statewide. However, problems with equipment and concerns over credit card fees prevented the program from being implemented.

1990 New administrative suspension laws take effect. Formal and informal hearings are conduct by Driver Improvement Hearing Officers.

1991 Began waiving test requirements when the customer presented a valid out of state license of the same class or higher as the one being issued by Florida. The only exception was for motorcycle endorsements issued in Alabama, Idaho and West Virginia.

1991 Class “D” licenses were required to operate emergency or farm vehicles that were otherwise exempt from CDL laws.

1991 Began issuing no fee duplicate licenses when the post office or local government changed the customer’s mailing address.

1991 Began requiring Social Security number for issuance of all licenses if the customer had ever been issued a number.

1991 First Commercial Driver Licenses were issued on April 2, 1991. All licenses were now either Class A, B, C, D, or E. Restricted operator and chauffer licenses were no longer issued.

1991 Began administering extended road tests when recommended by the Medical Advisory Board.

1992 Began issuing Motorcycle permits for 60 days as opposed to the previous 90 day permit.

1992 Extended road tests were discontinued after a legal opinion was issued stating that the practice violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.

1992 Leonard R. Mellon, Executive Director, died on February 10, 1992

1992 Fred O. Dickinson appointed Executive Director

1992 The Legislature failed to adopt the 1992-93 budget before July 1, 1992, and members were asked to volunteer to work without a guarantee of being paid. 185 members out of 1119 did not work, and 23 out of 171 offices were closed due to a lack of staffing. The Governor signed the budget during the day and operations returned to normal.

1992 Joe McCaskill selected as Deputy Executive Director.

1992 Hurricane Andrew

1992 Effective October 1, the Clean Air Act prohibited smoking in all public buildings.

1993 Began reciprocating motorcycle endorsements from West Virginia

1993 CDL Grandfathering provisions expired on March 31, 1993.

1993 Authorization was received to use an interpreter to ride in the vehicle on a road test in order to accommodate any language barrier.

1993 Written exams were made available in Haitian Creole

1993 Federal Vision Waiver Program for Commercial Driver Licenses ended

1994 James H. Cox resigned as Director of the Division of Driver License effective at the close of business on January 31, 1994

1994 Glenn Blocker appointed Interim Director of the Division of Driver Licenses.

1994 Unlawful Blood Alcohol Level was lowered from .10 to .08.

1994 New Examiner’s Manual were printed and distributed.

1994 The practice of disallowing annual leave during a member’s probationary period was rescinded.

1994 After July 1, 1994, Driver Improvement began authorizing reinstatements restricted to “Educational Purposes Only.”

1994 Motor Voter program begins – examiners begin processing applications for voter registration (FS 97.051).

1994 Training was conducted and procedures implemented to begin using the Problem Driver Pointer System (PDPS) function on the National Driver Registry (NDR).

1995 Began reciprocating motorcycle endorsements from Idaho

1995 Sanction imposed for Child Support delinquency (FS 322.058).

1995 Voluntary contribution were added to the driver license application process for six organizations: Organ Donor Education Program, Election Campaign Financing Trust Fund, Council of the Blind, Juvenile’s Diabetes Foundation International, Hearing Research Institute Incorporated, and Prevent Blindness (FS 322.08 and 322.18).

1995 Sandra C. Lambert appointed Director of the Division of Driver Licenses – first female Director of the Division

1995 Office closures and layoffs due to budget reductions. 24 Driver Licenses offices closed and 167 positions were eliminated by the Legislature.

1995 Began issuing digitalized driver licenses on credit card stock with magnetic stripes

1995 Mail in address change went into effect.

1995 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 11,992,578

1996 Completed closing the Express Renewal Offices located in Eckerd Drug Stores.

1996 Sanctions imposed for tobacco use by minors (FS 322.056)

1996 Sanctions imposed for high risk drivers (minors) (FS 322.161).

1996 Customers under 18 years of age were required to hold their Learner’s License for six months before being eligible to take their driving test.

1996 First Tax Collector Licensing Agent begins issuing licenses in Sarasota County on August 1

1996 Florida Statute 318.15 is amended to stipulate that D-6 suspensions from Florida or any other jurisdiction shall not appear on the record after seven years from the effective date.

1996 The Bureau of Driver Improvement was reorganized to include the Bureau of Administrative Reviews and the Bureau of Driver Educations and DUI Programs.

1996 The Bureau of Field Operations was restructured into 12 Regions divided into three Bureaus; Bureaus of Field Operations North, Central, and South with three Bureau Chiefs.

1996 Pilot program began allowing issuance of identification cards to persons under 12 years of age.

1996 Began limited Saturday operations in large metropolitan areas

1996 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 11,969,231

1997 Reorganization of the Bureau of Field Operations is completed.

1997 The Department began providing phone in renewal services

1997 Zero Tolerance Law goes into effect for persons under 21 – sanction imposed (FS 322.2616).

1997 Examiners must obtain proof of completion of Traffic Law Substance Abuse Education Program (TLSAE) prior to the issuance of a first time driver license (FS 322.095).

1997 Examiners required to add Sexual Predator and/or Sexual Offender designation to driver records after review of the proper documentation. Sexual Predator/Offender is required to report to a driver license field office within 24 hours of an address change (FS 775.21 and 943.035)

1997 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 12,343,598. 6,000,652 transactions were completed in the field offices with an average waiting time of 9.8 minutes.

1997 Uniforms were changed to improve the customer focused environment. Uniform brass and badges were eliminated.

1997 Telephone renewals and address changes went into effect.

1998 Sanctions imposed under the School Dropout Law (FS 322.091).

1998 Sanctions imposed for passing worthless checks (FS 832.05)

1998 FDLIS is updated to allow both the mailing and residence address of the customer to be entered.

1998 County Court Clerks were supplied with a list of county residents for jury pool selection. Statutes were amended to allow for quarterly reporting.

1998 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 12,691,835. 5,688,759 transactions were completed in the field offices with an average

waiting time of 10 minutes.

1999 Sanctions imposed for unlawful activity involving controlled substances (Ch. 893).

1999 First Mini-FLOW went into operation.

1999 The first of two “Superstore” locations opened combining driver licenses and motor vehicle services.

1999 Florida became a legal presence State. (See Ch. Law 99-248, Sec s 73 & 74.)

1999 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 13,012,132. 6,107,381 transactions were completed in the field offices with an average waiting time of 11 minutes.

2000 Sanctions imposed for petit gas theft (FS 812.061)

2000 Examiners must obtain certification of at least 50 hours of driving experience prior to issuance of a Class E license to a minor (FS 322.05). The Learner’s License must be held for one year, with no traffic violations, before persons under 18 years of age are eligible for their driving test (FS 322.05). (Graduated Licensing program for minors)

2000 All front seat passengers 18 years of age or older must be restrained by a safety belt. It is the responsibility of the driver to insure that any passenger under age 18 is restrained by a safety belt or by a child restraint devise (FS 316.614).

2000 Open container law becomes effective for operators and passengers of motor vehicles (FS 316.193).

2000 Any person over 21 years of age may operate or ride a motorcycle without a helmet if they are covered by a medical insurance policy of $10,000 or more (FS 316.211).

2000 The Hearing Research Institute and Juvenile Diabetes were added to the voluntary contributions (FS 322.08).

2000 Florida Statutes were amended to require that unless a driver license or identification record were already established, proof of identity must include one of the following: certified copy of a U.S. birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, alien registration card or employment authorization card issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (FS 322.051 & 322.08).

2000 DUI sanctions were strengthened to include the impoundment of the vehicles owned by the convicted defendant for a second conviction within five years (FS 316.193).

2000 Decertification of CDL third party testers resulted in the retesting of 1,200 CDL licensed drivers.

2000 Internet renewal and address changes went into effect.

2000 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 13,398,895. 7,121,806 transactions were completed in the field offices with an average waiting time of 6.5 minutes.

2001 DUI laws were revised to state that if a second offense occurs within five years of first conviction, the revocation will be for five years; if a third DUI offense occurs with 10 years after a prior conviction, then

the revocation will be for 10 years (FS 322.28).

2001 Examiners must obtain Selective Service Registration information from all males under age 26 making application for a driver license or identification card. The information is electronically sent to the Federal Selective Service System (FS 322.0515).

2001 New Automated Driver License Testing Systems (ADLTS) installed in all field offices.

2001 Sanctions imposed for retail and farm theft (FS 812.16 and 322.274).

2001 Sanctions were imposed for failure to pay child support (FS 322.058)

2001 Managers and examiners receive training on legal documentation required to prove legal presence in the U.S.

2001 Specific offices throughout the state were designated to process foreign nationals. Later all office began processing foreign nationals. Offices began scanning documents presented by foreign nationals. Scanning was later expanded to include most documents presented by the customers.


2002 On January 21, field offices were provided with a list of 20 states whose license could only be accepted as secondary identification.

2002 Examiners are required to add Career Criminal designation to the driving record after review of the proper documentation. Career Criminals are required to report to a driver license field office in person within 48 hours of an address change (FS 775.261).

2002 Sanction imposed for theft of motor vehicle parts or components (FS 812.16 and 322.274).

2002 Sanction imposed for racing on public traffic way (FS 316.191)

2002 Sanction imposed for the unlawful conveyance of fuel (FS 316.80).

2002 Examiners learn the requirements and begin issuing temporary permits to all immigrants and non-immigrants applying for renewal or original identification cards or driver licenses. Identification cards and driver licenses, for these customers, are generated through a central issuance (CIPs) and mailed to the customer after legal presence is verified The expiration date on the license coincided with their legal authorization. (FS 322.05 and 322.07). (See Ch. Law 02-259.)

2002 Sanctions imposed for improper loads on vehicles (FS 316.52).

2002 Sanctions imposed for graffiti (FS 806.13).

2002 Any person who sells, manufactures or delivers a fraudulent driver license or identification card commits a felony of the third degree (FS 322.212).

2002 New Examiner’s Manual posted on the Intranet

2002 Document Validation Unit was created in the Bureau of Records to verify documents submitted on driver license applications as well as assisting offices with questions regarding documents.

2002 Driver records were populated with citizen information based on the data held by the department from their previous applications on file. If the applicant indicated they were a citizen, the record was populated as such. If not, the record was left blank thereby requiring a visit to the office upon the next renewal. Drivers showing citizens were allowed to use convenience renewal if otherwise eligible.

2002 Effective November 1, 2002, field offices began opening at 7:30 a.m. instead of 7:00 a.m. to allow for morning staff meetings.

2002 Training and implementation of the People First System begins.

2002 Retested 5,000 CDL license holders due to fraudulent third party CDL testing,

2002 Began producing additional state agency identification cards for the Department of Education


2003 Security Cameras are installed in all field offices

2003 Ignition Interlock program begins (FS 316.193).

2003 Governor Bush’s Service First Initiative is implemented changing many of the rules governing Career Service. Members in management or in jobs dealing with confidential materials were moved to Select Exempt status.

2003 All printed paper tests in supply were destroyed. Only paper tests printed off the Automated Driver License Testing System (ADLTS) could be used.

2003 Examiners are required to capture the state and country of birth on all customers’ applications (FS 322.08).

2003 Examiners capture Alien registration number for immigrants and admission numbers for non-immigrants on the customer’s application.

2003 The fee for renewal or replacement ID cards increased to $10 (FS 322.051).

2003 Customers failing the written exam for a license are required to pay a $5 fee to re-take the exam. Those customers failing the driving exam are charge $10 to re-test (FS 322.12).

2003 Reinstatement fees for suspensions are raised to $35, and for revocations to $60. The administrative fee for alcohol related offenses is raised to $115 (FS 322.21).

2003 Amber Alert System is implemented

2003 Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) required examiners to indicate on the driver license of identification record whether or not the customer wants to keep their personal information blocked.

2003 Examiners participated in a pilot project to verify addresses through a central database. Pilot ended and did not proceed with statewide implementation.

2003 Decertification of third party commercial truck driver testing

company resulted in the retesting of 5,000 CDL holders.


2004 The Department contracts with a vendor to allow advertising in the driver license handbooks to offset production costs and increase availability.

2004 All drivers 80 years of age and older must appear in offices to submit to a vision test or submit a medical vision report (FS 322.195).

2004 The first annual Sight Saver Campaign was held in January, 2004.

2004 Paperless waiver system is implemented utilizing a web based system where third party testers enter applicant’s test results online.

2004 Florida Driver License Issuance System – FDLIS Express was rolled out during 2004.

2004 During June, new style licenses began to be issued through Central Issuance for customers using convenience services and foreign nationals. The new licenses featured many security features in a move to become compliant with the Federal Real ID Act.

2004 Driver Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) (FS 119.07).

2004 Sanctions imposed for fleeing or attempting to elude a law enforcement officer (FS 316.1935).

2004 Sanctions imposed for unpaid financial obligations (FS 322.245).

2004 Hurricanes Charley, Francis, Ivan and Jeanne impact operations throughout the state of Florida.

2004 The People First system went live to all members in October. The system is utilized for many personnel functions such as timesheets, updating member information, and benefits enrollment.

2004 Members received a one time $1000 bonus as approved by the Legislature in lieu of any pay increases.

2004 Retested 2,000 CDL holders due to fraudulent third party CDL testing.


2005 Training and implementation of the Online Appointment Services and Information System (OASIS) begins.

2005 The Department began fingerprinting all new examiners during their first month of employment. Later, all members in positions of “special trust” were fingerprinted – this included all examining personnel.

2005 On April 11, the Division of Driver License, Bureau of Field Operations Help Desk became operational.

2005 On April 12, the Department fully implemented their online Driver Improvement Course Completion Certificates.

2005 Drivers with two convictions for failing to stop at a traffic signal with

12 moths are required to attend a driver improvement course in order to maintain their driving privileges (FS 322.261).

2005 Class “D” licenses were eliminated (FS 316.1936). The “E” and “F” endorsements were also eliminated.

2005 Tax Collector Agents were authorized to retain the entire $5.25 service fee collected on driver license issuance (FS 322.135).

2005 Examiners learn compliance requirements and fingerprint all CDL drivers with Hazmat endorsements (49 CFR, 1572.11 Federal Regulations). CDL licenses with hazardous materials endorsements may only be obtained for four years (FS 322.18).

2005 Identification Authentication (IA) scanners installed in the field offices.

2005 Training and implementation of procedures for issuance of school bus, “S” endorsed CDL licenses. Over 20,000 school bus drivers required retesting and new license issuance.

2005 A voluntary contribution for Children’s Hearing Help Fund was created (FS 322.08).

2005 Seven Specialty Teams consisting of a manager and nine examiners were deployed throughout the state. These teams provided support for offices with staffing shortages and assisted with special projects and events.

2005 Special procedures were implemented to assist evacuees from Hurricane Katrina in acquiring identification while displaced in Florida.

2005 Internet services were expanded to include ID card and driver license renewals; address changes for ID cards and driver licenses; duplicate ID cards and driver licenses; and original ID cards if the customer had a Florida driver license with a digital image on file.

2005 Examiners are required to complete a Commercial Driver License Information Check (CDLIS) for every customer who presents an out of state driver license prior to issuance of a Florida license.

2005 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 15,007,005, with an estimated population of 17,702,476.

2006 The Department approved an online Advanced Driver Improvement (ADI) School.

2006 Customers applying for a Florida ID card or driver license are able to complete a web based pre-application online. The information on the pre-application is electronically transferred to FDLIS to help reduce customer processing time.

2006 Procedures to reinstate driving privileges and issue license through central issuance were implemented in Bureau of Administrative Review offices throughout Florida.

2006 Piloted and implemented the Motorcycle Third Party Tester Paperless Waiver System

2006 Sanctions were added for violations of s. 817.234 and 817.505 (insurance fraud) requiring mandatory revocation and an additional fee of $180 for reinstatement (FS 322.21 and 322.26).

2006 The minimum age for an identification card is lowered to age five (FS 322.051). On October 1, 2006 the first 5-year old received a Florida Identification Card – Allison Michelle Fenandez.

2006 The court may order sanctions for any person who sells, gives or serves alcoholic beverages to a minor (FS 562.11).

2006 Paper Driver Education Licensing Assistance Program (DELAP) waiver forms were discontinued and only waivers electronically posted through the Paperless Waiver System were accepted.

2006 The Division implemented a new website, STARNet (Staff Training and Research) to assist with training and information needs for field offices.

2006 Effective October 1, the department began providing a service that allows customers that holds a valid license or ID card to provide emergency contact information via the agency website.

2006 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 15,272,680, with an estimated population of 18,019,093. 7,325,092 transactions were completed in the field offices.

2007 The Department was required to make driving records of teens available to parents or guardians of the minor via the internet, free of charge (FS 322.20).

2007 Each motorcycle registered to a person under 21 years of age must display a license plate that is unique in design and color (FS 316.211).

2007 All driver license and identification cards issued to individuals with non-

immigrant residency status displayed the word TEMPORARY in red on the bottom right of the card, as required by 2006 House Bill 7079.

2007 Parental Proctoring -- applicants seeking a Class E Learner’s License on the

basis of on-line tests must have a parent or legal guardian observe and attest to them passing those tests without assistance.

2007 Electra Theodorides-Bustle is appointed Executive Director of the Department

of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles on March 7. 2007 On May 14, Driver License field issuance offices all became five-day offices,

operating from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday and Thursday. Saturday services remained in effect in several large metropolitan areas throughout the state. Issuance office members were issued red shirts to wear on Mondays.

2007 All Department personnel were assigned e-mail accounts to enhance

communications efforts.

2007 All driver licenses and ID cards must designate on the face of the document if the holder of the card has been designated a sexual predator or offender (FS 322.141).

2007 The $1.50 service fee for permanent handicapped placards was removed from statute

2007 The Division of Driver Licenses is reorganized with three Deputy Directors appointed and the Bureau of Field Operations renamed to Bureau of Field Services and increased from three bureaus to five.

2007 Effective October 1, the Florida PIP (Personal Injury Protection) Insurance law sunset. The law was later re-enacted effective January 1, 2008.

2007 In lieu of a pay increase, the 2007 Legislature approved a $1,000 bonus for

eligible full-time Career Service, Selected Exempt Service, and Senior Management Service employees ($500 for half-time employees). Eligible employees were those who had been continuously employed by the State between July 1, 2007 and November 1, 2007, and were achieving performance standards. The bonus was paid on Wednesday, November 7, 2007.

2007 A Handbook Inventory Tracking System (HITS) is implemented to help ensure

that driver license handbooks are available to customers throughout the state. 2007 Changes in the Financial Responsibility Law require increased liability coverage

limits for persons convicted of alcohol related offenses (FS 324.023). 2007 New Mission, Vision and Values statements, and a Strategic Plan are developed

for the Department of Highway Safety 2007 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 15,491,878, with an

estimated population of 18,199,526. 7,259,225 transactions were completed in the field offices.

2008 Statutes were amended to allow customers to choose two year vehicle or vessel registration.

2008 The Sunset Review Committee and Legislature confirmed that the Department of Highway Safety needed to continue as a state agency. The bill confirming this was later vetoed by the Governor and the review had to be re-confirmed during the 2009 Legislative session.

2008 Driver License Field and BAR offices began accepting Master Card, Discover and American Express.

2008 As part of our budget reduction due to revenue shortfalls, the Legislature did not fund uniforms for Field Services and BAR members. Those with uniforms could continue to wear them if they chose to do so, however, uniforms were no longer required.

2008 Ten Field Services Offices were closed by July 1, 2008, and three additional by January 1, 2009, due to budget shortfalls – no layoffs occurred

2008 Effective July 1, 2008 all applicants for a motorcycle endorsement must show proof of completion of the motorcycle safety course (FS 322.12).

2008 Beginning September 1, all offices went to a Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. schedule. Select offices in Miami, Lauderdale Lakes, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Orlando continued to offer services on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

2008 A voluntary contribution for “Family First” is created and the election

campaign contribution is eliminated.

2008 The list of identifying documents that may be presented for an ID card or driver license is modified to require proof of social security number, proof of residential address, unexpired U.S. passport, unexpired green card, unexpired employment authorization cart, and report of birth abroad (FS 322.051 & 322.08).

2008 Identification cards issued to persons 5 years of age to 14 years of age will be valid for four years; all other will be valid for eight years (FS 322.051).

2008 The definition of duplicate and replacement licenses are combined, leaving only the word “replacement” (FS 322.17).

2008 Drivers who are 79 years of age and under will be issued eight year licenses while drivers 80 and older will continue to receive six year licenses (FS 322.18).

2008 Drivers may only use convenience renewal methods for every other renewal (FS 322.18).

2008 Fees were changed October 1, 2008:

• CDL $67

• Original Class E $27

• Renewal Class E $20

• Original Motorcycle Only $27

• Replacement License $10

• All ID Cards $10

• Endorsements $ 7

2008 Governor Charlie Crist today signed Executive Order 08-211 enacting Florida’s ‘Silver Alert,’ which allows the immediate broadcast of information to the public regarding missing elders with dementia or other cognitive impairment.

2008 By December 31, 2008, the Division of Driver Licenses was operating 83 state facilities and 95 tax collector agent offices in 37 counties throughout the state of Florida.

2008 The total of licensed drivers in Florida was 15,579,603, with an estimated population of 18,328,340. 7,199,457 transactions were completed in the field offices.

2009 The Legislature held a special session in January to address budget shortfalls. The Division of Driver Licenses lost 11 positions and restrictions were placed on travel and other spending.

2009 A project was initiated to merge the Division of Driver Licenses and the Division of Motor Vehicles into a single Division – the Division of Motorist Services.

2009 Agreement reached to place driver license office inside AAA offices located in Ft. Myers, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, and Jacksonville. The Ft. Myers location began issuing licenses on March 3, 2009, with St. Petersburg beginning on March 26, 2009.

2009 June 16, 2009, Governor Charlie Crist signs the bill re-enacting the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles after the sunset

review process. The re-enactment ceremony takes place at the Neil Kirkman Building.

2009 September 1, 2009, fees for driver licenses, license plates and vehicle titles are increased. The fee increases caused a major increase in customer traffic during the last week in August resulting in office volumes nearly 200% above normal and increased customer wait times.

Fee Type Current

Fee Amount

New Fee Amount

Year Last Changed

DRIVER LICENSE FEES

Original Class E $27.00 $48.00 1989* does not

include 6 to 8 year change

Original/Renewal Commercial Driver License $67.00 $75.00 1989* does not


Original School Board Commercial Driver License $27.00 $48.00

1989* does not include 6 to 8 year

change

Renewal Class E $20.00 $48.00 1989* does not


Renewal School Board Commercial Driver License $20.00 $48.00

1989* does not include 6 to 8 year

change

Replacement license $10.00 $25.00 1990

(ch. Law 90-132)

Delinquent Fee $1.00 $15.00 Oct-1991

(ch. Law 91-243)

Knowledge retest $5.00 $10.00 Oct-2003 (ch. Law 2003-410)

Skill retest $10.00 $20.00 Oct-2003 (ch. Law 2003-410)

Identification Cards (Original, Renewal & $10.00 $25.00 Oct-2008

Replacement) (ch. Law 08-176)

Administrative Fee $115.00 $130.00 Oct-2003 (ch. Law 2003-410)

D-6 Suspension - DHSMV $47.50 $60.00 Jul-2005 (ch. Law 2005-236)

Disqualification $60.00 $75.00 Oct-2003 (ch. Law 2003-410)

Revocations $60.00 $75.00 Oct-2003 (ch. Law 2003-410)

Suspensions $35.00 $45.00 Oct-2003 (ch. Law 2003-410)

Child Support Suspension $47.50 $60.00 Jul-2005 (ch. Law 2005-236)

Tax Collector Service Fee $5.25 $6.25 Jul-1996 (ch. Law 1996-413)

Filing Fee for hardship hearing - $12.00 New Fee

Filing Fee for Formal/Informal review - $25.00 New Fee

DUI program fee (assessed by the program) $12.00 $15.00 Prior to 1996

Interlock Fee (assessed by the vendor) - $12.00 New Fee

MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEES *

License Taxes-motorcycles $10.00 $13.50 Jul-1963 (ch. Law 1963-528)

License Taxes-moped $5.00 $6.75 01/1979 (ch. Law 1979-353)

Antique motorcycle $10.00 $13.50 Jul-1963 (ch. Law 1963-528)

Antique automobile $7.50 $10.25 Jul-1967 (ch. Law 1967-187)

Automobiles (less than 2,500 pounds) $14.50 $19.50 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-3)

Automobiles (2,500-3,500 pounds) $22.50 $30.50 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-3)

Automobiles (3,500 or more pounds) $32.50 $44.00 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-3)

Trucks (less than 2,000 pounds) $14.50 $19.50 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-3)

Trucks -based on weight (2,000-3,000 pounds) $22.50 $30.50 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-3)

Trucks -based on weight (3,000-5,000 pounds) $32.50 $44.00 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-3)

Goat Truck $7.50 $10.25 Jul-2001 (ch. Law 2001-279)

Antique Truck $7.50 $10.25 Oct-1973 (ch. Law 1973-244)

Heavy Truck (5,001 -6,000 pounds) $45.00 $60.75 Jul-1987 (ch. Law 1987-198)

Heavy Truck (6,000-8,000 pounds) $65.00 $87.75 Jul-1987 (ch. Law 1987-198)









Heavy Truck (62,000-72,000 pounds) $800.00 $1,080.00 Jul-1983

(ch. Law 1983-3)

Heavy Truck (72,000 or more pounds) $979.00 $1,322.00 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-3)

Heavy Truck/Tractor 150 mile radius $240.00 $324.00 Jul-1990 (ch. Law 1990-194)

Heavy Truck/Tractor (Agriculture 150 miles) $65.00 $87.75 Jul-1990 (ch. Law 1990-194)

Heavy Truck/Tractor $240.00 $324.00 Jul-1982 (ch. Law 1982-97)

Semitrailers; School Buses; Special Purpose $10.00 $13.50 Jul-1997 (ch. Law 1997-58)

Semitrailers; School Buses; Special Purpose $50.00 $68.00 Jul-1997 (ch. Law 1997-58)

Special Purpose Vehicles $32.50 $44.00 Jul-1997 (ch. Law 1997-58)

School Buses $30.00 $41.00 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-318)

Wrecker $30.00 $41.00 Jul-1997 (ch. Law 1997-58)

Other Wreckers (10,000-15,000 pounds) $87.00 $118.00 Jul-1997 (ch. Law 1997-58)







Other Wreckers (62,000-72,000 pounds) $800.00 $1,080.00 Jul-1997

(ch. Law 1997-58)

Other Wreckers (72,000 or more pounds) $979.00 $1,322.00 Jul-1997 (ch. Law 1997-58)

Hearse or ambulance $30.00 $40.50 Jul-1997 (ch. Law 1997-58)

Motor vehicles for hire (under 9 passengers) $12.50 $17 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-318)

cwt (weight per hundred pounds) $1.00 $1.50 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-318)

Motor vehicles for hire (over 9 passengers) $12.50 $17 Jul-1981 (ch. Law 1981-209)


Trailers for private use (under 500 lbs) $5.00 $6.75 Jul-1973 (ch. Law 1973-284)

Trailers for private use (over 500 lbs) $2.50 $3.50 Jul-1973 (ch. Law 1973-284)


Trailers for hire (under 2000 lbs) $2.50 $3.50 Jul-1973 (ch. Law 1973-284)


Trailers for hire (over 2000 lbs) $10.00 $13.50 Jul-1973 (ch. Law 1973-284)


Recreational Vehicles (5th wheel) $20.00 $27.00 Jul-1973 (ch. Law 1973-197)

Recreational Vehicles (camping trailer) $10.00 $13.50 Jul-1972 (ch. Law 1972-339)

Recreational Vehicles (under 4,500lbs) $20.00 $27 Jul-1973 (ch. Law 1973-197)

Recreational Vehicles (over 4,500 lbs) $35.00 $47.50 Jul-1972

(ch. Law 1972-339)

Dealer and Manufacturer License Plate $12.50 $17.00 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-318)

Exempt / Official License Plates $3.00 $4.00 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-318)

Locally Operated Motor Vehicles for hire $12.50 $17.00 Jul-1983 (ch. Law 1983-318)


Transporter $75.00 $101.25 Oct-1988 (ch. Law 1988-410)

Commercial Motor Vehicle Surcharge on vehicles 10,000 lbs or more $5.00 $10.00 Prior to 1992

State Transportation Trust Fund Surcharge on all vehicles $2.00 $4.00 Jul-1991

Specialty/Personalized Processing Fee $2.00 $5.00 1996 (ch. Law 1996-413)

Florida Real Time Vehicle Info System Fee $0.50 $1.25 Oct-1981 (ch. Law 81-181)

General Revenue/Dept. of Juvenile Justice Surcharge $1.00 $5.50 Prior to 1995

Registration Service Charge Fees $2.50 $5.00 Oct-1985 (ch. Law 85-324)

Automated vending or printer dispenser machine service fee (License Plate Validation; Vessel or Mobile Home Sticker)

$1.00 $3.00

Jul-1990 (ch. Law 90-132)

Automated vending

Oct-1998 (ch. Law 1998-324) Printer Dispenser

Advanced Replacement Fee $2.00 $2.80 Jul-1991 (ch. Law 91-82)

Retro reflective Material Fee $0.50 $1.50 Oct-1983 (ch. Law 83-318)

Original/Replacement License Plate Fee $10.00 $28.00 Jul-1990 (ch. Law 90-132)

Initial Registration Fee $100.00 $225.00 Oct-1989

MOTOR VEHICLE TITLE FEES

Original/Duplicate $24.00 $70.00 Oct-1989

Fast Title $7.00 $10.00 Oct-1989

For-hire Vehicle Title $3.00 $49.00 Oct-1989

Delinquent Title Fee $10.00 $20.00 Oct-1989

Re-inspection fee - $20.00 New Fee

Service fee for paper title - $2.50 New Fee

RECORD/PUBLICATION FEES

Crash Reports $2 $10 Oct-1988 (ch. Law 82-130)

Driver History Records (DDL/3-year) $2.10 $8.00 Sep-1997

Driver History Records (DDL/7-year, complete or certified) $3.10 $10.00 Sep-1997

Florida Administrative Weekly Publications for Dealers - $75.00 New Fee

RECORD/PUBLICATION FEES

Nongame Wildlife Trust Fund Title Fee $4.00 $10.00 Oct-1984 (ch. Law 84-194)

Manatee License Plate Fee $20.00 $25.00 Oct-1998 (ch. Law 98-415)

Conserve Wildlife License Plate Fee $15.00 $25.00 Jul-1998 (ch. Law 98-181)

2009 September 29, 2009, Electra Theodorides-Bustle resigns as Executive Director.

2009 Seven field offices were closed throughout the year due to continued revenue shortfalls. Crawfordville, Bunche Park, Jacksonville Dunn Avenue, Cross City, Green Cove Springs, Jacksonville Southside and Wauchula were closed and positions were reduced.

2009 September 29, 2009, the Cabinet appoints Julie Jones as Executive Director effective September 30, 2009.

2006-2009 Implementation of Real ID Requirements

2010 January 4, 2010, field offices begin issuing Real ID compliant credentials.

2010 Emergency Contact Information (ECI) reaches 3-million registered customers

Division of Driver Licenses

Incorporated into Division of Motorist Services

2010 Sandra C. Lambert appointed first Director of the Division of Motorist Services

2011 Division of Motor Vehicles and the Division of Driver Licenses become part of the the Division of Motorist Services. A reorganization takes place to re-align the agency with this new structure. The new structure is later formalized by the legislature.

2011 Uniform shirts were issued to driver license examiners in Miami-Dade, Broward and Volusia Counties.

2011 Clayton “Boyd” Walden is appointed new Director of Motorist Services effective December 9, 2011.

2012 Division of Motorist Services is reorganized effective February 1, 2012.

2012 Transition of driver licensing services to the county tax collectors continues. All counties, with the exception of Miami-Dade, Broward and Volusia counties must take over serves by July 1, 2015.

2013 Transition of driver licensing services to the county tax collectors continues. As of December 31, 2013, there were 173 tax collector offices offering credentialing services in 59 counties, 31 HSMV offices remained open with 11 of those scheduled to close by June 30, 2015.

2014 New automated driver license testing system is implemented using one fifty question test instead of two twenty question tests, one for road signs and one for road rules. Also began using “RoadScholar,” a tablet based road test scoring tool in all state offices and for third party testers offering road tests. RaodScholar offered GPS capabilities that assist in quality assurance for driving tests.

Executive Directors – H. Neil Kirkman (August 1969- February 1970), Ralph Davis (March 1970– September 1978), Chester P. Blakemore (September 1978- August 1982), James W. York (July 1982 – October 1982 (interim)), Robert A. Butterworth (November 1982- June 1984), Leonard R. Mellon (July 1984- February 1992), Fred O. Dickinson (Interim February 1992 – June 1992; Executive Director June 1992 – March 2007), Electra Bustle (March 2007-September 29, 2009). Julie Jones (September 30, 2009-Present)

Driver License and Motorist Services Directors: C.W. Kieth (1969-1987), James Cox (1987-January 31., 1994), Glenn Blocker, interim (1994-1995), Sandra C. Lambert (1995-2011), C. Boyd Walden (2011-present).

historical timeline division of driver licenses

Documents